Fresh, Farm-to-table Cuisine

Sample the Local Eclectic Fare

Restaurants & Wineries in Traverse City

If you like food, Traverse City is the place to be. Dining in Traverse City is a Culinary Journey. With its fresh, farm-to-table cuisine, Traverse City has become known as a top foodie town. Add innovative chefs to the vibrant mix of restaurants, cafes, and eateries and you'll easily taste why! According to Bon Appétit, Traverse City is one of America's 5 Top Foodie Towns, offering the region’s best restaurants. For two years in a row, Midwest Living has listed Traverse City among its Five Top Food Towns, and Bon Appetit has listed Traverse City as #9 in America’s Best 20 Small Towns for food by Food Magazine.

Traverse City is without parallel when it comes to culture. Restaurants are known for their innovative cuisine, use of fresh local ingredients, and extensive Michigan wine lists. Thanks to its award-winning wines and talented local chefs, Traverse City enjoys an international reputation as a place of surprisingly sophisticated food and drink. The Taste of Traverse City showcases a diverse mix of epicurean specialties that the area is quickly becoming more known for. The eclectic cuisine borrows freely from other regional styles and relies heavily on imagination, boldness, and spunk. Capitalizing on fresh ingredients from nearby farms, forests, lakes, streams, and orchards our restaurateurs seem to be on a mission to showcase the best of what the area has to offer.

Here’s just a sampling of some of the amazing restaurants in Traverse City:

Wine Tours

Looking for something to do? Discover Leelanau Peninsula, where cool-climate wines pair perfectly with local cuisine. Our small peninsula is home to 25 wineries located within diverse microclimates uniquely suited for a variety of wine grapes. Among the internationally acclaimed varietals are Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. Experience, firsthand, the authentic taste of the peninsula in local wines that continue to achieve national and international accolades with each passing vintage. The beautiful Leelanau Peninsula is dotted with vineyards and award-winning wineries that have established a firm reputation for crisp, intensely flavorful wines.

Leelanau Wine Trail

Travel the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail and experience all of the sparkling waters, panoramic hilltop vistas, rolling landscapes, and lush vineyards. The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail is divided into three mini-trails for easy touring: the Sleeping Bear Loop, the Northern Loop and the Grand Traverse Bay Loop. Each tasting room along the trail offers its own unique experience, from pure elegance with unparalleled views to cozy nooks loaded with charm.

As you sip wines and chat with the laid-back, hardworking winemakers that produce them, you’re sure to find many reasons to love the trail. Discover breathtaking views, stylish wines and passionate winemakers that represent the largest and oldest wine trail in Michigan and have garnered Leelanau Peninsula international attention as a world-class destination. Whether your visit lasts a day or a season, you’re sure to find comfort and pleasure in everything the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail has to offer.